South South American American GeographyGeography

Supplement to National Geographic video

South South AmericaAmerica

Fourth Fourth largest largest continentcontinent

The Andes run the entire length of The Andes run the entire length of South America, from the humid South America, from the humid tropics of the Caribbean to the ice tropics of the Caribbean to the ice fields of Patagonia, the longest fields of Patagonia, the longest north-south mountain range in the north-south mountain range in the world.world.

Andes MountainsAndes Mountains

ParamoParamo

A neotropical Andean A neotropical Andean ecosystem located in the high ecosystem located in the high Andes region, between the Andes region, between the upper forest line and the upper forest line and the permanent snow line.permanent snow line.

Typical páramoTypical páramo vegetation aroundvegetation around LLakeake Caricocha, Mojanda,Caricocha, Mojanda, Ecuador.Ecuador.

Espeletia (Frailejón) Espeletia (Frailejón) plant in the Venezuelan plant in the Venezuelan páramo. páramo.

Cordillera Oriental Montane forestsCordillera Oriental Montane forests

tamanduatamandua

Lush forests of this semi-tropical ecoregion Lush forests of this semi-tropical ecoregion carpet the middle-to-high elevations of the carpet the middle-to-high elevations of the northern Andes and surrounding foothills.northern Andes and surrounding foothills.

The Llanos an extensive system ofan extensive system of grasslands, grasslands,

seasonally-flooded plains, and forests seasonally-flooded plains, and forests shared byshared by Venezuela and Colombia. It is Venezuela and Colombia. It is

located tolocated to thethe northnorth andand west of the est of the Río Orinoco Río Orinoco and borders and borders the Amazoniathe Amazonia

wilderness wilderness along its along its entire entire

southern southern edge.edge.

Llanos cattleLlanos cattle

Altiplano Altiplano where the Andes are at their where the Andes are at their widestwidest

Lake TiticacaLake Titicaca the highest commercially the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, navigable lake in the world, at 12,507 feet above sea at 12,507 feet above sea level.level.

(above)(above) Contemporary Contemporary reed boats and reed boats and boatmen on Lake boatmen on Lake Chad, Chad, Chad, Chad, Africa.Africa.

(below) Aymara (below) Aymara reed boat reed boat builders at Lake builders at Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, Titicaca, Bolivia, South America.South America.

The The RaRa Expeditions ExpeditionsIs it possible that African Is it possible that African sailors had visited the sailors had visited the Americas thousands of Americas thousands of years before Columbus?years before Columbus?

"Ra II", the reed ship Thor Heyerdahl used for his expedition across the "Ra II", the reed ship Thor Heyerdahl used for his expedition across the Atlantic, from the coast of Africa southwest toward South America, 1969. Atlantic, from the coast of Africa southwest toward South America, 1969.

Atacama world’s driest desert

It is virtually sterile of plant or animal life.

Peru CurrentDry climatic Dry climatic conditions are a conditions are a result of this result of this current, also current, also known as the known as the Humboldt Current. Humboldt Current. This system This system contains cold, low contains cold, low salinity waters that salinity waters that flow in the flow in the direction of the direction of the Equator and can Equator and can extend 1,000 extend 1,000 kilometers kilometers offshore.offshore.

PatagoniaPatagonia Chilean steppesChilean steppes

Patagonia ice floesPatagonia ice floes

Lago, ArgentinaLago, Argentina

PatagoniaPatagoniaA lake in Neuquén, A lake in Neuquén, Argentine portion of Argentine portion of PatagoniaPatagonia

PampasPampas Fertile South American lowlands, Fertile South American lowlands, they cover more than 750,000 they cover more than 750,000 km², mostly in Argentina.km², mostly in Argentina.

These fertile plains are Argentina's These fertile plains are Argentina's bread-basket.bread-basket.

PampasPampas

LoessLoess These fine, wind-borne particles These fine, wind-borne particles result in tremendous soil result in tremendous soil fertility.fertility.

North Brazil

The Amazon drains an area equivalent to more The Amazon drains an area equivalent to more than two thirds of the continental United States. than two thirds of the continental United States. It pours into the Atlantic Ocean about one-fifth It pours into the Atlantic Ocean about one-fifth of the freshwater that flows into all the world's of the freshwater that flows into all the world's oceans, a volume so gigantic that it alters oceans, a volume so gigantic that it alters ocean salt levels 200 miles from its mouth.ocean salt levels 200 miles from its mouth.

The second-longest river in the world, the The second-longest river in the world, the Amazon is 3,900 miles long flowing across North Amazon is 3,900 miles long flowing across North Brazil before entering the Atlantic Ocean near Brazil before entering the Atlantic Ocean near Belem. It carries more water than any other river Belem. It carries more water than any other river in the world. The source is the Andes Mountains.in the world. The source is the Andes Mountains.

Amazon River

A school of sharp-teethed A school of sharp-teethed piranha can devour a piranha can devour a cow in minutescow in minutes

ConfluencConfluence with Rio e with Rio SolimõesSolimões

Rio NegroRio Negro

Rain forestRain forestTropical rain forests are mainly the product Tropical rain forests are mainly the product of climatic interactions, particularly of climatic interactions, particularly temperature and rainfall. In general, temperature and rainfall. In general, tropical rain forests occur where a mean tropical rain forests occur where a mean monthly temperature of between 20 and 28 monthly temperature of between 20 and 28 degrees C is combined with an annual degrees C is combined with an annual rainfall of between 1.5 and 10m, evenly rainfall of between 1.5 and 10m, evenly distributed throughout the year. distributed throughout the year.

BiodiversityBiodiversityOne square kilometre One square kilometre of Amazon rainforest of Amazon rainforest can contain can contain about about 90,790 90,790 tons of tons of living living plants. plants. This This accounts for about a accounts for about a third of all known third of all known living plants and living plants and animal species in the animal species in the world.world.

Angel FallsAngel FallsThe highest waterfall in The highest waterfall in the world, at 807 the world, at 807 metres, is Angel Falls in metres, is Angel Falls in Canaima National Park Canaima National Park in southwest in southwest Venezuela. It is named Venezuela. It is named after an American pilot after an American pilot and explorer, Jimmy and explorer, Jimmy Angel, who spotted the Angel, who spotted the falls from an airplane in falls from an airplane in 1935 and 1935 and later crash-later crash-landed landed nearby.nearby.  

The Itaipu hydroelectric power plant on The Itaipu hydroelectric power plant on the Parana River is a joint development the Parana River is a joint development project with Brazil and Paraguay. With 18 project with Brazil and Paraguay. With 18 units of 700 megawatts each, it is the units of 700 megawatts each, it is the largest hydroelectric plant currently in largest hydroelectric plant currently in operation in the worldoperation in the world

The plateau of The plateau of Roraimatepui. Roraimatepui. The peculiar The peculiar rock formation rock formation is caused by is caused by erosion.erosion.

This 2 billion year old Pre-This 2 billion year old Pre-Cambrian geological formation Cambrian geological formation is possibly the oldest on the is possibly the oldest on the planet. It hosts the impressive planet. It hosts the impressive and mysterious table-like and mysterious table-like mountains called mountains called tepuis.tepuis.

tepuistepuis

Guinea HighlandsGuinea Highlands

TepuisTepuis the imposing rock walls have led to the imposing rock walls have led to the the evolution of a evolution of a different world different world of animal and of animal and plants, plants, isolated from the isolated from the

forest below.forest below.

LinksLinks• http://www.htwm.de/abora/csslv/kontakt-h/thumbnails/heyerda

hl-port.jpg

• http://www.southamericanexperience.co.uk/guyana/guyana_rainforestandfalls.html

• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/pampas.htm

• http://news.yahoo.com/photo/061211/photos_lf/2006_12_11t111655_450x300_us_cities_brazil

• http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/where.html

• http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm